Back in School!

Well, I am back in the thick of the spring semester. My classes include American Philosophy and Culture, Theological Anthropology, Understanding Evil, Introduction to New Testament I, Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling, and Supervised Pastoral Care Ministry. My ministry is at a men’s correctional facility where I will be meeting and counseling offenders. I am really excited about all of the different classes and being in an active ministry.

I will also be playing volleyball, cantoring, playing guitar for mass and the prayer group, and of course – there is Anathema Sit. A drummer, Steve LaFlamme (Duluth, Minnesota) has joined Jeff McBeth (Toledo, Ohio), Mark Steichen (Tulsa, Oklahoma) and myself. It will be good to have that rhythm in the group. Here is a recent picture of Anathema Sit at the Unstable. It also includes John Hollowell (Indianapolis, Indiana) who sits in on harmonica.

This Tuesday I will be installed as a lector. This is the first official step of the Church in my path to priest. The Archbishop of Indianapolis will preside in the ceremony. Last semester I took a course in proclaiming the Gospel in preparation of being installed. I continue to be humbled and blessed at the ways God is using me in this life. God is good!

Over the Christmas break we had a retreat for the second year class. The first week was at St. Meinrad and the second week was a silent retreat at Mt. St. Joseph in Kentucky. It was a wonderful time of prayer, communion with God and nature, and relaxation. This is the first time I have gone a whole week in silence – I would recommend it to everyone.

I spent the next week with my Catholic lay evangelist friend, Charlie Osburn, and his family in Pensacola, Florida. I was blessed to help do some music and ministry in his parish, St. Anne’s of Bellview. One of the things they have begun is an Agape Meal every Wednesday evening. It is volunteer supported meal for the entire parish involving individuals from a variety of the parish’s different groups as the volunteers including, The Knights of Columbus, The Holy Name Society, Holy Rosary Altar Society, Legion of Mary, Renew, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, RCIA, Confirmation Class, Religious Education Students and Teachers, St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic High School Students, The office of Evangelization, and their pastor, Father Jack, all participating in the cooking, serving and cleanup. It is a wonderful event and approximately 450 people get fed and have fellowship each week. You can read more at RomanCatholicEvangelization.com.